Summary of Services
- Offers food assistance for low-Income Individuals
- Provides financial support to purchase nutritious food items, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, bread, cereals, and plants/seeds for growing food
- Distributes benefits via Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards, automatically replenished monthly based on eligibility and household factors.
Providing Support to Low-Income Individuals
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), administered by the Department of Agriculture, is a federal initiative dedicated to improving the quality of life for low-income individuals, including seniors, single mothers, people with disabilities, and others facing financial hardship. These benefits can be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads, cereals, plants, and seeds that produce food for the household.
However, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase non-food items, such as pet food, cleaning supplies, household disinfectants, alcohol, tobacco, medications, vitamins, supplements, or prepared hot foods intended for immediate consumption.
EBT Cards: Accessing and Managing SNAP Benefits
Approved benefits are distributed through an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, which is mailed directly to participants. The amount loaded onto the card varies based on household size, income, and other qualifying factors. It is automatically replenished monthly as long as the individual or household remains eligible for assistance.
Please visit here for more information on EBT cards.
Elgibility
To qualify for SNAP benefits, individuals must be between 16 and 59 years old, able and willing to work or participate in SNAP employment and training programs, unless they are incapacitated or caring for children. Applicants must provide proof of identity, meet specific income guidelines, be U.S. citizens or hold qualified non-citizen status, and reside in Florida.
Additional requirements include providing a Social Security number, proof of assets such as bank accounts or property, and reporting any changes to monthly income. Individuals who pay child support must also cooperate with Florida’s Child Support Enforcement Agency to verify their relationship to the child and document payments.
For more eligibility information, please visit here. SNAP benefits are applied for through the MyAccess website. Individuals can visit MyAccess by visiting here.